Universal center-finder.



H. P. WHIPPLE,

UNIVERSAL CENTER FINDER.

APPLLCATION FILED OCT. 5. 1917.

1,27%,647. Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

HENRY P. WHIPPLE, 0F ROGHES'I'ER, NEW YORK.

UNIVERSAL GENTER-FINIDER.

Application filed October 5, 1917. Serial No. 194,698.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY P. WHIPPLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Universal Center- Finders, of which the following is a specication.

The invention relates to an improved de vice for locating the centers of cylinders and flat surfaced objects.

It seeks to provide as its principal object a neat and efi'ective device capable of instantly locating the center of any object on which it may be used.

A still further object is to provide means in conjunction with which a prick punch may be used to mark the center located.

Still another object is to provide, in conjunction with the device itself, a pair of ll-shaped members, detachable from the device, which may be used to locate the centers of squares across their diagonal length.

Still another object is to provide, in conjunction with the member which locates the center, a graduated beam having means conjoined with it, whereby a rectangular plece may be centered with respect to its width and at a specified distance from its ends.

Still another object is to provide a device of this character, cheap in construction and capable of comparative rough usage without affecting its accuracy.

Other and further objects will appear in the detailed description of the device which follows.

To the specific embodiment of the invention, as shown in the drawings, the invention is not to be restricted. An actual re duction to practice may suggest certain desirable changes or alterations and these the right is claimed to make, in so far as they may be compatible with the spirit of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan vlew of the device.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the blocks forming a part of the device and a portion of its attendant beam.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the guide blocks.

Specification of Letters Patent.

As shown in the drawings, the device consists of the blocks 1 and 2 which are square in cross section and rectangular in length. Suitably affixed to one face of the block 1 and near one of its ends and at its center, as regards the particular face to which it is attached, there is a beam 3. A longitudinal recess 4 is made on one face of the beam 3 and in the bottom of this recess the rack teeth 5 are formed. There is also suitably afiixed to one face of the block 2 at its center, as regards the width of this particular face, and near its end a second beam 6. This beam 6 also has a longitudinal recess 7 in the bottom of which there are formed the rack teeth 8. The teeth 5 and 8 in the beams 3 and 6 respectively are of the same pitch, so that they may properly mesh with the teeth of a gear 9. The block 2, near that end opposite from which the beam 6 is connected, is provided with a suitable aperture of the same cross sectional area as the beam 3 and the latter passes through and effects a sliding engagement in this aperture. Similarly the block 1 is provided with an aperture, corresponding in shape to the shape of the beam 6 and this beam passes through and is permitted sliding engagement in this aperture. The blocks 1 and 2 are, therefore, permitted to be moved toward or away from each other, the beam connected with each block sliding through the other block. The gear 9 previously referred to is positioned centrally between the blocks 1 and 2, and since its teeth mesh with the teeth of both the beams 3 and 6, it will always remain centrally disposed between the blocks, irrespective of whether they are moved toward or away from each other, i or the tendency of one beam to move the gear away from the block to which that beam is connected is off-set by the other beam tending to move the gear away from the block to which it is connected. Therefore, the gear 9 always remains centrally disposed between the two blocks.

Disks 10 are attached on either side of the gear 9 and their diameters are equal to the distance between the facing edges of the beams 3 and 6. Therefore, these disks, as the blocks 1 and 2 are moved toward and from each other, will roll on the facing edges of the beams and at the top of the slots formed in the latter, thus lending rigidity to the movable parts of the structure as a whole. At its center thegear 9 is provided L witha hollow shaft 11 which passes through the disks 10 and projects toward the outer the beam 3 and is thus held in a perpendicular osition with respect to the latter beam at a l times.

A friction spring 14 is conveniently attached on the inner face of the block 1 and bears upon the outer edge of the beam 6,

thus preventing too free movement between the blocks 1 and 2.

A set screw 15 is threaded through the upper face of the block 2 at a point where Y it will be permitted to bear on the upper face of the beam 3. This screw may be screwed down on the latter to' lock the device as a whole in any desired position; or it may be loosened to permit the'blocks land 2 to be moved freely toward or from each other.

A sleeve.16 is provided for the beam 13 andconforms to the shape ofand is in surrounding relation to. the latter. This sleeve 16 has attached to it, in any suitable way, a flat spring 17 which bears upon one edge of( the beam 13 and precludes too free a movement of the sleeve over the said beam. This sleeve 16 is provided with a set screw 18 by means of which it may be locked in any de- .sired position on the beam 13.

Both the beams 6 and 13 are provided with suitable linear calibrations to afford the taking of measurements when it is necessary.

On the upper face of each of the blocks 1 and 2 there is provided a transverse slot 19 which is centrally disposed with reference to the facing inner faces of the beams 3 and 1 6. Therefore, these slots fallin a line directly in the center of the gear 9.

The guide blocks 20 are provided with means for attachment to the blocks 1 and 2, each of these guide blocks, on one face, being provided with a feather 21 designed to rest in one of the slots 19. Screws 22 pass through the blocks 20 and thread into the blocks and 2- at the bottoms of the slots a cylinder by adjusting the blocks land 2, so that the V-shaped ends of the guide blocks will be brought in contact .with the cylindrical surface. The diameter of the cylinder will, therefore, be in line with the center of the gear 9 and the center of the latter will be at the exact center of the diameter, since this gear will always be centrally disposed between the blocks 1 and 2 and-the guide blocks 20 which are mountedthereon. A prlck punch canthen be inserted through the hollow shaft 10 and the center thus formedcan be marked or indicated.

\ These guide blocks can also be used t find the center of a square by bringing them into fir'm contact with the diagonal corners thereof. The center of the gear 9 will then be over the center of this diagonal and the proper marking. can be made with a prick punch, as in'the case of finding the center of a cylinder.

In finding the center of thewidth of a,

board, the guide blocks 20 may be detached I by removing the screws 20 and the blocks 1 and 2 brought into contact with opposite 9 will then be the center of the -width of the board. If it is desired to find the center at a specified distance from the end of the 'board, the sleeve 16 may be set to this desired distance on the beam 13. This sleeve 16 is then brought into contact with the end of the board and the blocks 1 and 2 brought into contact with the sides thereof. The center of the gear 9 will thenfall in line with the center of the width of the board at the desired distance fromv the end thereof. What is claimed is '1. The, combination, in a center finding implement, of a pair of blocks, a beam a ing engagement with the other block, the beams being in spaced relation andhaving longitudinal slots formed in their facing edges, the beams furtherhaving rack teeth formed in the latter. The guide blocks 20 icenter of the disks and of the gear and havconnection with the drawings, the operation of the device is obvious. Since the V-shaped ing rigid connection with the slotted end of the third beam, the third beam having means whereby the device as awhole may 10- cate the center of one dimension of an object at a specified distance along the other dimension. i

2. The combination, in a center finding implement, of a pair of blocks a beam attached to each of the blocks 5 and having edges of the board. The center of the gear .tached to each of the blocks and having slidsliding engagement with the other block, the "ing rolling contact on the facing edges of beams being in spaced relation and having "the two beams, and a hollow shaft journaled longitudinal slots formed on their facing in the center of the disks and of the gear, 10 edges, the beams further having rack teeth whereby a marking implement may be used formed on the bottoms of said slots, a gear to locate centers indicated by the gear. meshing with the teeth of both beams, disks In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. attached to either face of the gear and hav- HENRY P. WHIPPLE. 

